Published on 12:00 AM, April 11, 2019

Mosaddek's timely ton

An unbeaten 139-ball 101 from Mosaddek Hossain (R) could not avert Abahani's second consecutive defeat as the Sky Blues succumbed to a three-wicket loss against Sheikh Jamal in a Dhaka Premier League encounter in Savar yesterday. However, with team selection for the World Cup squad underway, the middle-order batsman could not have hit his ton at a better time. PHOTO: BCB
Sports Reporter

With Bangladesh yet to announce the squad for the upcoming World Cup, Mosaddek Hossain might just have given the selectors a sweet headache. The right-hander's name has been on the selectors' minds for quite a while and with a timely unbeaten century in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) yesterday, Mosaddek made his case to be considered for a place in the Tigers' squad even stronger. However, despite the skipper's valiant knock, Abahani fell to a three-wicket defeat against Sheikh Jamal at the BKSP-4 ground.

Meanwhile at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, all eyes were on pacer Taskin Ahmed returned to cricket following an injury suffered during a Bangladesh Premier League match in February. Although the right-arm pacer struggled in Mirpur, his Legends of Rupganj team strolled to a nine-wicket victory over Uttara Sporting to remain on top of the league table.

In the other game, Brothers Union edged Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club with a one-wicket victory at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.

Mosaddek played a captain's knock after Abahani suffered a batting collapse that saw them reeling on four for 14 in the sixth over. The 23-year-old remained unbeaten on a 139-ball 101 but kept losing partners at the other end. However, a 60-run fifth-wicket stand with Mohammad Mithun was followed by a 50-run seventh-wicket partnership with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. Another 57-run stand with Abdullah Al Mamun for the eighth-wicket helped Abahani post 211 for nine.

After the exchange, Anustup Majumdar's 56 and all-rounder Nasir Hossain's 45 saw Sheikh Jamal reach the target with seven balls to spare. Nasir had also proven instrumental with the ball earlier, returning economical figures of three for 24.

In Mirpur, Taskin's wayward bowling proved how injuries can ruin the rhythm of a bowler -- especially a pacer. Maybe if Taskin had not gone down with an ankle injury, it would have been a different day for the pacer on the back of a brilliant BPL campaign. However, his expensive wicketless figures of 36 runs from five overs did not affect his team.

Openers Mehedi Maruf (62 not out) and Mohammad Naim (63 off 77) had set the tone with a 96-run opening stand that helped Rupganj chase down 180 for eight posted by Uttara Sporting with 56 balls to spare.

Elsewhere, Fazle Mahmud continued his good run of form as his 74 runs off 91 balls ensured Brothers Union chase down Doleshwar's 250 for five in the penultimate ball of the match.

There can be no better way to display the spirit of cricket. Abahani's Mashrafe Bin Mortaza embraces opposition team Sheikh Jamal's match-winner Nasir Hossain despite losing their DPL encounter by three wickets at BKSP yesterday. PHOTO: BCB

SCORES IN BRIEF

ABAHANI v SHEIKH JAMAL

Abahani: 211 for 9 in 50 overs (Mosaddek 101 not out, Mithun 33; Nasir 3-24)

Sheikh Jamal: 215 for 7 in 48.5 overs (Majumdar 56, Nasir 45; Saifuddin 2-39, Nazmul 1-33)

Result: Sheikh Jamal won by three wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Nasir Hossain.

UTTARA SPORTING v RUPGANJ

Uttara Sporting: 180 for 8 in 50 overs (Anisul 55, Minhajul 37; Nabil 3-29)

Rupganj: 181 for 1 in 40.4 overs (Mehedi 62 not out, Naim 63; Mohimenul 1-34)

Result: Rupganj won by nine wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Nabil Samad.

DOLESHWAR v BROTHERS UNION

Doleshwar: 250 for 5 in 50 overs (Taibur 70 not out, Ayub 50; Haldar 2-45)

Brothers Union: 251 for 9 in 49.5 overs (Fazle 74, Mizanur 42; Sunny 4-62, Enamul 3-46)

Result: Brothers Union won by one wicket.

Player-of-the-match: Fazle Mahmud.

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